Locally produced fords finally runout with zero sales data

383hq · 10-04-2018, 12:32 AM

5 Apr 2018

By RON HAMMERTON

FORD’S Australian-built cars are now history. March was the first month since Ford began manufacturing vehicles in Australia in 1925 that the company’s dealer network sold no locally made vehicles.

The sales tallies for Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory in the March VFACTS sales data report all showed zero, meaning two Falcons recorded as sold in February are likely to be the last of the line, a full 16 months after Ford shuttered its Broadmeadows assembly plant in October 2016.

The last Territorys – three of them – were sold in January, while the last Falcon Ute was sold last September.

Unless a Ford dealer has a random remnant vehicle in the back lot somewhere, that should be it for Australian-made cars bearing the blue oval.

Ford started making cars in Australia in June 1925 when workers in Geelong began assembling Model Ts from kits sent from North America by Ford Australia’s parent company, Ford of Canada.

The first assembly line was in a disused wool store that was used until Ford’s purpose-built factory at Norlane, on Geelong’s northern fringe, was completed in 1926.

Ford began car assembly at the Broadmeadows plant in 1960 when it introduced the Falcon, and it was there that the last Falcon – and the last Australian Ford – rolled off the line on October 7, 2016.

With Holden and Toyota locally made cars also rapidly drying up after they too closed local manufacturing in October last year, just 3214 Australian-built cars have been sold this year compared with 13,142 in the first quarter of 2017.

As a source of new cars in this market, Australia has slipped to 10th, behind countries such as Hungary and Spain.

These days, Ford imports the bulk of its vehicles from Thailand. These include its top selling Ranger ute and related Everest, along with Focus and Fiesta for the moment.

Once up a time, Ford alone built up to 150,000 cars a year in plants across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

In the meantime, Ford has reinvented itself in Australia as a vehicle development centre, designing and engineering vehicles such as the Ranger and Everest for the world.

Courtesy of GoAuto

au350hp · 10-04-2018, 07:29 AM

Very sad news, but at least the Ford brand is still alive, there's jobs for some here still & there are some exciting cars been imported. This book is a great tribute to not only the brand but the people that worked at Ford Australia. Well bound & printed with excellent photo's and interviews, it caps off the Australian effort nicely.
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/1925001245...=ps&dispItem=1

hackney · 10-04-2018, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roostercam

Very sad news, but at least the Ford brand is still alive, there's jobs for some here still & there are some exciting cars been imported. This book is a great tribute to not only the brand but the people that worked at Ford Australia. Well bound & printed with excellent photo's and interviews, it caps off the Australian effort nicely.
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/1925001245...=ps&dispItem=1

There is a thread on this publication,which I think from memory I started last year? Or maybe the year before.Well worth investing in.Cheers

naddis01 · 10-04-2018, 01:16 PM

There are still a few used/demo ones on Carsales with delivery km on them and a number of Sprints with under 1000km.

Interceptor · 10-04-2018, 01:16 PM

Doesn't matter to me what spin Ford wants to put on things.

With the death of the Australian built, V8 RWD Falcon, so died Ford's chances of getting a new car sale from me.

au350hp · 11-04-2018, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Doesn't matter to me what spin Ford wants to put on things.

With the death of the Australian built, V8 RWD Falcon, so died Ford's chances of getting a new car sale from me.

Hadn't considered that angle. I like the reports I have heard so far on the new Mustang, but if I had $70k, I would buy this pair in an instant.
https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...-4833903/?Cr=3
and this.
https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...-5356975/?Cr=5
Ford may not have any local cars anymore, but geez they have built some beautiful cars over the years. If I was 18 again, I would probably be more disappointed but as I am getting on a bit, having grown up with so many great Ford's, I will die a happy man.

Vesper Martini · 11-04-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Doesn't matter to me what spin Ford wants to put on things.

With the death of the Australian built, V8 RWD Falcon, so died Ford's chances of getting a new car sale from me.

From your profile image I take it you have one of the last Sprints? is this also you last car?

Sprintey · 11-04-2018, 02:33 PM

Not with a Tickford badge bevsta, it's one of the EDs like mine.

& agree with Roostercam, those are nice choices and you certainly wont do your dough on them. For me, done the manual V8 buy where most of the interest and money is, I think I'd be happy to shed a couple of cruisy Fairmont Ghias, wagons or XR6 of that ED-AU vintage.

Sprintey · 11-04-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roostercam

Hadn't considered that angle. I like the reports I have heard so far on the new Mustang, but if I had $70k, I would buy this pair in an instant.
https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...-4833903/?Cr=3
and this.
https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...-5356975/?Cr=5
Ford may not have any local cars anymore, but geez they have built some beautiful cars over the years. If I was 18 again, I would probably be more disappointed but as I am getting on a bit, having grown up with so many great Ford's, I will die a happy man.

& funny you mention being 18 the young fella is right now and he's very conscious that this is the last chance to get new/near new Aussie built Fords. His choice is FG2 or FGX XR6. No qualms from me, they are one of the safest cars on the road. All I've said is if you like money, keep it well and dont go swapping it often like I did haha

Vesper Martini · 11-04-2018, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Not with a Tickford badge bevsta, it's one of the EDs like mine.

Ok. nice car but we are talking about 24-25 year old cars.

Interceptor is good until nearly 2050 then.

roddy1960 · 11-04-2018, 07:42 PM

Don't know what's sadder , that the locally produced Fords are no longer appearing on sales data or that it took 18 months after production finished for that to happen . That's way longer than I thought it would be .

Slightly off topic but who recalls the initial feelings in 2013 when announced Ford closing down .Very angry comes to mind for me , mostly because of so many jobs going along with our beloved Falcons and Territory's .

This is interesting by the way https://www.drive.com.au/motor-featu...0160926-groyrc

Syndrome · 01-04-2019, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Don't know what's sadder , that the locally produced Fords are no longer appearing on sales data or that it took 18 months after production finished for that to happen . That's way longer than I thought it would be .

Slightly off topic but who recalls the initial feelings in 2013 when announced Ford closing down .Very angry comes to mind for me , mostly because of so many jobs going along with our beloved Falcons and Territory's .

This is interesting by the way https://www.drive.com.au/motor-featu...0160926-groyrc

I was angry in 2007. So when the 2013 announcement was made I was already resigned to that fate.